Lights and Shadows
by R.S. Xavior
Summary: All light must have a shadow, light cannot exist without a shadow and shadows are casted because of light. If one is present without the other it is only half complete. This takes place before the game and how Sephiroth found his shadow. SxZ
1. Chapter 1: The End of a Long Day

**Lights and Shadows**

_' To those who loved this world_

_And knew friendly company therein:_

_This Reunion is for you._ - FF VII AC

**------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer:** FFVII and all its characters belong to Square Enix Co. Ltd, not me. I am simply using that world and its characters as muses and a writing exercise.

**Author's Note: **Well, this is a shounen ai so we were warned. I will depict Sephiroth as I see him and Zack as I see him. I own the characters Coatz, Rei, Erna, and Randsom so there. : P Anyway, the gibberish Sephiroth speaks at times will be Cetran, but he doesn't know that. It will be explained by him later. I know he isn't Cetran, but he is mock Cetran so I gave him some of their powers. And for my purposes Zack's last name will be Donovan. This fanfic takes place before the game. I am not sure as of Seph's age, but I estimate him around 16 to 25 at this time and I will be going with 18. Zack will be sixteen in the beginning.

**Summary:** All light must have a shadow, light cannot exist without a shadow and shadows are casted because of light. If one is present without the other it is only half complete. This takes place before the game and how Sephiroth found his light. SxZ

_Italics _- mental conversations

' ' - thoughts

" " - normal conversation

----------------------------- 

**Chapter One: The End of a Long Day**

The war against Wutai had gone on long enough in Sephiroth's opinion. Everyday seemed to have blurred into one seamless battle to the next. The people of Wutai were not about to surrender to a power that was foreign, such as the nation of Shin-Ra. Five years had passed since this pointless war began. The President only wanted it for the prospect of achieving another location for mako reactors and materia mining. Many came to believe that Shin-Ra felt pressured by the Nation of Wutai and thought attacking would be the best way to eliminate the possibility of his precious company and nation being taken away from him.

It wasn't long into the war before the previous General, Calloway, had been killed in battle. Sephiroth had barely made it into the SOLDIER program when Shin-Ra set him loose on the Wutai Shinobi and warriors. With the advice of the 'great' Professor Hojo, Sephiroth quickly soared through the ranks and was chosen as the new General in less than four months of being dispatched. Many were left suspicious and outraged at having such a young man leading the entire army. There were gossips of Shin-ra losing his mind and the not-so-prodigious boy but, they stopped after the kid produced numerous victories with almost flawless results. He was receiving praise back in Midgar and had been elevated to the status of a hero. Shin-Ra now used him in their propaganda to promote the war and recruit more potential soldiers.

But what was Sephiroth to complain? His ranking and status were coveted all around, and his salary was nothing to laugh about. He had the finest clothing, made his own rules, and owned an apartment, but still he didn't seem complete or happy. He would brood in his tent when not directing SOLDIERS or engaging in battle. To his delight and dismay, this meant his men left him at peace. His temper was already a thing of legends.

For the past few hours he had been brooding, calculating in his mind the next course of action. Everything fell into place too quickly for him. His brain made connections and reasoned through situations far more swiftly than any SOLDIER or human. At times it startled him on how off he was compared to others, but it was one of those things he had to learn to get over, but at the current stage in time he was completely bored and tired no matter how fast his mind was able to reason through things. Everything was dragging on, and it had become hard to tell the days of the week apart.

He leaned back into his dark green chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. Papers were thrown about his makeshift desk, various reports that he would eventually have to sift through. He was fortunate enough to find out that in a week's time he would be pulled from this hell hole of sneaky ninja to the bleak, smog filled hell hole known as Midgar. The war had basically already been won so there was no need for Shin-Ra to keep his most valuable person in the heat of danger. Sephiroth understood he was special. He was made different than everyone else, but he didn't bother to delve any more into the details. All he understood was that Shin-Ra had invested a lot of money into Hojo so that he could modify Sephiroth. He went through a life long process of tests and experiments so that he could be a better version of the current SOLDIER. Unlike, the others who may have been flawed compared to him but, still normal, he was always odd compared to the other humans he'd been around. Hell, he grew up knowing Shin-Ra's labs most of his life, so he couldn't be normal, but one could always pretend, right...?

His thoughts were interrupted once more when Sergeant Coatz entered the tent. The man was of average height with sandy blonde hair and azure eyes. Something was always special about Coatz. The man never showed fear; either he was really brave or an complete idiot. He smiled slightly before saluting in respect. Not to mention the man had a problem with being trigger happy.

"We've just received the new Lieutenant that Major General Erna appointed a few weeks ago, sir," Coatz stated, keeping his words very selective. He smiled as if happy he was able to speak in that manner, "Do you wish for me to send him in?"

Sephiroth nodded and motioned for him to send the man in. He had already been briefed on his second-in-command. He was a prodigy among the SOLDIERS besides himself of course. It was as if he had possessed a natural talent for fighting and excelled at it. The man had defeated Major General Erna in battle posting him as the new Lieutenant General. Experience and tests mattered little to Shinra as far as getting Heidegger to assign rankings. Only if you were physically strong enough to fill the position did you get it. Heidegger had this religious belief that brains only got in the way of fighting. Needless to say the man lacked numerous brain cells himself.

Sephiroth looked up as the flaps of his tent were pushed open. He had been expecting a man, not the young teenage boy that just barged in. This had to be some sick joke of Coatz's. The boy in question was only slightly shorter than himself with spiky black hair that distinguished him from Gongaga. His eyes were a rare color of violet and were glowing, a characteristic common of all SOLDIERS. He wore a plain indigo sleeveless turtleneck with matching pants. On his shoulders were pauldrons and his belt gave away his rank, indeed, this boy was his second-in-command. Sephiroth could feel the beginnings of a massive migraine surfacing.

The boy stood almost perfectly straight. It was obvious by his posture that his personality wouldn't allow him to stand utterly erect. He gave a cursory salute before daring to approach Sephiroth any further. The boy didn't seem fazed by being in Sephiroth's presence which was a miracle within itself. The boy's eyes held curiosity, not the admiration Sephiroth was used to people staring him down with. "Lieutenant General Zachary Donovan reporting for duty," Zack finally spoke.

"I didn't realize that Shin-Ra was allowing them in this young," Sephiroth murmured under his breath. He stood up from his chair and waltzed over to Zack. He raised his eyebrow inspecting him from head to toe. Zack remained calm and gave him a smile in return. The boy was either really clueless or very friendly. "Very well, Zachary..." The boy visibly flinched at the name, but said nothing. "I suppose that Heidegger has briefed you on the situation here."

Zack nodded. His face taking on a serious air once more. His hand twitched as he unconsciously allowed it to run through his hair. He didn't stay in a straight military fashioned stance for long as he shifted his weight on one leg in a more casual pose. How this boy even made it passed training was beyond Sephiroth at the moment. This Zack character had problems obeying the protocol that had been laid down for the SOLDIERs.

"So… what are our objectives as of now, General?" Zack inquired.

Sephiroth scuffed. Zack apparently wasn't all about being rebellious as teenagers were so infamous for. "…We are not to do anything, but report the new orders at 0700 hours."

"Wonderful," Zack responded, taking a seat in the chair which Sephiroth had previously occupied. Sephiroth's eye twitched, unconsciously. Zachary was starting to remind him of a small child who had yet to learn his place in the world and had the mind set of 'ooooo must touch!'. The boy was completely foolish and downright… irritating. Less than five minutes of meeting him, and Zachary had already woven his way under Seph's skin and made it crawl with frustration. "You realize Shin-Ra won't keep us here for maybe another day? Said something about how its useless to keep you here when obviously Wutai will be surrendering in a few days at most." Zachary commented as if the man standing before him had been a childhood friend and not his superior.

"Then, would there really be a point in Shin-Ra sending you here to pester me and squander my time?" Sephiroth questioned.

Zack feigned hurt and then laughed at the words that were about to spill from his mouth. "Actually, Shinra thought it would be best that we get acquainted as soon as possible," Zack placed his finger on his chin, innocently, "He mentioned something along the lines of 'they'll be sharing an office so might as well let his high mighty Prince Sephiroth get used to you.'" Sephiroth's mood visibly darkened. "Well, that's how my mind translated it."

Sephiroth felt that migraine arrive in full force. Not only did he get the oh so lovely news of his lieutenant but the man was a talkative, loudmouth, and rather outspoken individual. Basically, Shin-Ra had just set loose a chocobo hyped on greens into the lair of a Midgar Zolom that just woke up. Then, expected the chocobo and Zolom to sit down, drink some tea, and share the same confined office space. Yes, the future was looking bright for him.

---------------------------------------- 

I think I've made them a little OOC so give me feedback to let me know what you think. I'm portraying Zack and Seph as I do in my rps. Anyway, yeah, here it is in all its glory.


	2. Chapter 2: Of Zoloms and Chocobos

**Lights and Shadows**

**------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer:** FFVII and all its characters belong to Square Enix Co. Ltd, not me. I am simply using that world and its characters as muses and a writing exercise. If you sue me you get my car that I live in… Gaia you guys are assholes…

**Summary:** All light must have a shadow, light cannot exist without a shadow and shadows are casted because of light. If one is present without the other it is only half complete. This takes place before the game and how Sephiroth found his shadow. SxZ

_Italics _- mental conversations

' ' - thoughts

" " - normal conversation

-----------------------------

**Chapter Two: Of Zoloms and Chocobos**

Zack couldn't comprehend the level of boredom brought along at the supposed center of operations. Granted, yes, he had been there a grand total of a week; it wasn't something he wanted to have the luck to experience again. Okay, maybe it wasn't the actual battlefield, but damn being stuffed into a tent for a week was enough to cause anyone to find amusement in kicking toads to see how far they could 'fly.' He had been busying carrying out orders in the heat of battle when Erna decided his abilities could be better used elsewhere like the general.

Then, he couldn't complain; he had always wanted this position in the army. He dreamt of it ever since he was a small child. Hell, he even forced his parents to buy him swords when all the other boys wanted toy trains with a working whistle. No, Zack wanted the newest broad sword with not three materia attachments, but four! He trained hard every day of his life; he was far from a normal Gongaga child. Gongaga hated people who sought out power and strength. They wanted him to be a nice tame boy with a calm demeanor and a yearning to do something sensible with their lives like farming or blacksmithing, but Zack was far from calm and tame. He didn't get along with his parents and left home at early age for Midgar to fulfill his dream of becoming a SOLDIER. He barely even thought of them now as his life was finally steering him in a desired direction.

He stretched out his muscles from stiffness of sitting on this damnable helicopter and enduring the trip back to Midgar. His superior wasn't very versed in the art of conversation thus left Zack to his own thoughts. It was nerving racking. He meandered to the small space in the middle of the chopper and proceeded to move around and crack his back. Sephiroth stared upon him with the same mask of indifference as he had been for the past week. His general was that of ice and about as stable as a hungry Zolom. The man had been staring into space with his arms crossed the entire duration of the flight.

Zack walked over and bent down so he could look at his commander's face. Besides he was going to be stuck with this man for a while so he may as well learn his ins and outs. He placed his hands on his hips and inclined his head slightly to his left. Sephiroth would be forced to acknowledge his new right hand man even if he didn't want to. Zack hated to be ignored by anyone especially his new office buddy. When Sephiroth's eyes flickered with something akin to annoyance, Zack smiled.

He ran his hand through the unruly mane he had the joy to call his hair. His grin was genuine and filled with an unbridled carefree attitude that defined his being. "So, what are you going to do when you get back to Midgar? Besides the obvious I'm going to work. You seemed almost happy to get out of Wutai."

Sephiroth, being the cold bastard Zack grew to know him as, just glared at him. He was giving him the trademark 'none of your damn business Donovan' stare that he so grew accustomed to in the past week.

Zack sighed, but was not defeated. His goal was to make this man talk and get something out of him besides the curt manner he regarded him with. "You act deader than some of those pieces of Shinobi we left rotting in the marshes of Wutai." He sat back down across from Sephiroth with his arms crossed and a mock scowl upon his features. Zack really couldn't find what was so frightening about the man sitting in front of him that made even the hardest 1st Class SOLDIERs piss themselves. The man in front of him was human just like everyone else, even if he was his superior; he was just more of a bastard than most, but who's to judge, right?

Zack, unconsciously, bounced one of his legs up and down. It was against him to stay still longer than five minutes at a time. His steel-shoed boots clanked against the floor of the copter every time it made contact.

"So since we'll be working together how about we share some information to get to know each other better?" When Sephiroth didn't respond Zack felt the urge to continue anyway. "Well, I'm from Gongaga. I'm sixteen years old. So Sephiroth, how old are you and where do you come from?" Zack smiled, attempting to procure the information from him.

Sephiroth looked up slightly and Zack's hopes soared to the sky. Sephiroth looked away from him when speaking which in a way was a good thing; the man was hard to stare at eye to eye. "18. Unknown, I don't have a home town."

Zack tilted his head ever so slightly. It wasn't much of answer in his opinion, but it was the most he had ever gotten out of the man so it would have to do. "How do you not know where you came from? Didn't your parents ever tell you?"

Sephiroth turned on him; his face showing indifference, but his eyes flashed a tinge of anger and angst. Zack grinned sheepishly; knowing he probably hit a soft spot and most likely trashed whatever progress he had accomplished with the man. "My mother died when giving birth to me and my father… hmph."

Zack smiled apologetically before deciding to break the awkward silence that followed. So from what he could figure, Sephiroth was abandoned by his father and his mother had never even been a memory to him. He couldn't help but feel a slight remorse for him. True, Zack hated his own parents… well at least he knew them. He was about to respond when the copter lurched suddenly, signifying their arrival in Midgar. The lights below certainly made it clear that Shin-Ra Headquarters never slept.

When the helicopter landed he could've sworn Sephiroth was more than reluctant to set foot once more on the soot covered ground. The air was musty and smelt of industrial smog and chemicals. Worse of all there was a tinge of metallic odor which signified one of the reactors had a malfunctioning problem.

Zack looked up and found they were greeted by the plump geezer known as the President and the thin, greasy bag of bones known as Hojo. Zack shivered unconsciously. That man always had his way to make even the strongest of men cringe at his mere thought. Zack noticed a slight change in Sephiroth's demeanor; he radiated an aura of hate and disgust.

To the sides of the President and Hojo were a two of the Turks, both of whom Zack recognized from his visit with Heidegger about his rank. The older Turk was Veld, a man from Kalm who currently led the Turks. The man's hair color always reminded Zack of cockroaches and the man had issues accepting failure. The shorter, younger Turk was Veld's apprentice, Tseng. The man was barely an adult and held features that suggested he was from Wutai. Zack always called him Veld's little shadow and could spot him a mile away just from one look at his high ponytail.

The bubbling vat of fat was the first to disturb the sounds of the copter's blades. "Ah welcome back, General. I hope those crossed eyed bastards have been subdued." When he talked his shirt threatened to pop open and send a button off as a deadly flying projectile straight into someone's eye.

Sephiroth merely nodded and remained silent. Hojo seemed to find much delight in this as the scientist hadn't stopped grinning with glee. Hojo placed his hand behind his back which made his awkward posture even more unbearable to look at. Zack's nose wrinkled as the man gave off the distinct smell of formaldehyde and blood.

"I have prepared the necessary assignments in your office and I expect you to be ready to give us a full report in tomorrow's meeting, you and your new lackey," Shinra said, waving his hand like one would do a fly towards Zack.

Shinra smiled and wobbled away. Zack felt the urge to sneer at the man, but resisted it. Veld followed suit without saying a word which left him with Hojo and Sephiroth staring each other down like two tigers fighting over territory. Zack's eyes went back and forth between the two, but he knew better than to say anything.

The wiry little man finally moved pushing his glasses up with a single digit. He chuckled lightly to himself before looking up again. Zack noticed the manilla folder tucked neatly under the man's arm, most likely collecting and festering with Hojo's funk. Zack cringed at the thought.

"Welcome back, Sephiroth. I don't suppose you forgot me?" Hojo asked. Zack could've sworn he saw the man enjoying this.

"Its hard to forget one such as your gracious self, Professor," Sephiroth said with a sneer.

"Good then you will be pleased to hear that I've already scheduled an appointment in the lab next week. There is no backing out of it. Shinra demands that you attend. In the meantime here are the forms you've been asked to fill out," Hojo said, handing Sephiroth the folder. He grabbed them harshly and stared down at the smaller man with a look that could kill. "I bid you good night, General."

Zack waited until the man was well out of sight before looking over to his superior. "Damn, that man's touchy. But I suppose we won't be getting any sleep tonight if we're to have that report ready by morning."

Sephiroth remained silent, but started walking to the inside of the building. "I can do it on my own." Sephiroth commented without even batting a glance at Zack. Zack pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows.

"I know you can, sir, but you're not alone anymore,' Zack replied, glancing over to the taller man. Zack was so deep into the conversation that he didn't notice that Tseng was following behind them.

Sephiroth stopped walking for a moment and stared down at Zack with a single eyebrow raised. Silence with this man meant uncertainty and probably a personal introduction to his six foot impaler. Zack allowed an unsure grin to plaster across his face. He always wanted to believe that everyone could be won over even a man as cold as Sephiroth. "Shinra did say that he wanted the report from the both of us."

Sephiroth regarded him with a detached look before proceeding to walk again. "Fine."

"Sooo, where is this office of ours exactly? I've never been to the executive floors and wouldn't have a damn clue," Zack stated, trying to carry out a decent conversation.

"If you were quiet SOLDIER and just followed you would find out soon enough," Sephiroth replied.

"You know, sir, you may be well versed in the art of war, but lack in the art of conversation," Zack commented folding his arms behind his back. He looked up at the silver haired man with slight curiosity gleaming in his eyes. He had to admit talking to the man was about as easy as talking to a Zolom.

Sephiroth looked at him, glaring slightly. Zack knew he shouldn't have back talked his superior but was more than prepared for the consequences. "Donovan, they don't pay you to evaluate my social skills." He said, curtly.

"No, but, I'd rather consider you a friend instead of just my co-worker. It makes things easier as I have found. And I prefer that my friends could talk to me fairly easy as well," Zack replied with the same curiosity in his eyes.

Tseng exhaled a large amount of air through his nose at the comment. If Zack hadn't known otherwise the man seemed to be holding in his laughter.

"Donovan, we are in SOLDIER to uphold the peace, not to make friends," Sephiroth answered with a slight twitch of his eyebrow, but otherwise remained passive.

Zack feigned a frown and looked up Sephiroth, but said nothing. He continued the trek to their shared office without another word. The man had just shot down one of his philosophies in life. True, SOLDIERs were meant to uphold the peace, but that didn't mean they couldn't make friends in the process, which apparently his general didn't have an abundance of.

Sephiroth had effectively shut Zack up for a while as he didn't talk even when they entered the office. It was new record in Donovan's history for silence. They both looked around the room finding two cherry wood desks awaiting them and a single plush couch for visitors. The walls were decorated with the honors bestowed upon Zack and Sephiroth. Sephiroth didn't want them there, but Shinra had insisted on it. He watched as Zack went outside saying he was going to fetch coffee. Tseng in the meantime stood silently in the corner of the room. It was a wonder when that man got sleep, but Sephiroth would say nothing; Tseng was the only friend he had.

Both of them were alike. They spoke rarely and understood each other through silent gestures more than words. Sephiroth went over to his leather swivel chair and sat down scanning over the documents. He didn't want to waste anytime in getting to work.

Zack stood over the coffee machine listening to the drone of it making the brew. He had procured directions to the staff lounge by watching the rooms pass by on the way to the office he shared with the cold bastard of a colleague he had. He nestled his head in the nook of his right arm, watching the pot slowly fill with boredom. He idly blew at a strand of hair in his face, not like it could help his unruly mob of a black mess.

He found his thoughts couldn't stray away from Sephiroth and how utterly cold the man was. He acted like he was the only one who walked the earth and everyone else was just a hindrance in his wake. Zack hated it to no end. He was going to working along side this man. The guy acted like he didn't have a friend in the world; Gaia knew he needed one.

Zack's eyebrows furrowed as he sat up and pounded a fist into his opposite hand. He nodded to himself. That night he made a solemn vow to himself that life or death, light or shadow, he would teach that stuck up general of his the meaning of being civil.

-------->


	3. Chapter 3: Earning Your Respect

**Lights and Shadows**

**------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer:** FFVII and all its characters belong to Square Enix Co. Ltd, not me. I am simply using that world and its characters as muses and a writing exercise. Sue me; you get nothing, good day, sir. I'm a minor you can't sue me so ha! I laugh at you.

_Italics _- mental conversations

' ' - thoughts

" " - normal conversation

-----------------------------

**Chapter Three: Earning Your Respect**

It had been a long, tedious afternoon for Sephiroth. He barely harbored any sleep from the previous nights say for a few hours here and there. He had spent his entire week filling out reports and attending meetings it barely left time for much of anything else. Even right now at 6:00 in the morning he found himself at his desk, sifting through papers and dreading tomorrow. He had been scheduled for an appointment with Hojo and Gaia knew that didn't beget good things.

He leaned back into his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose. His coffee mug was empty which left him with no means of staying awake and faking his body into thinking it didn't need sleep. He was just blessed that Donovan usually reported in late every day or he would feel the need to invest into some acetaminophen as well.

He scuffed. Less than two weeks ago he had been fighting against the greatest of Wutai warriors being reigned as a hero, but now Midgar's hero had been reduced to a common paper signer and report filer. He fingered Masamune's sheath idly. Even the sword ached to be used. Sephiroth wouldn't deny it; he loved the heat of battle and pride he took in wielding his weapon.

He couldn't take it any longer as he rose from his desk. He needed to train anyway, damn be to what Shinra wanted to be done. Besides he needed to check on the progress on the newer batch of SOLDIERs that were just admitted into the program. He checked out with his secretary, Randsom, before exiting towards the elevator.

His hopes fell, though, when a certain boy, who appeared as though he just stuck his finger in an electrical socket to get his hair ready in the morning, bumped into him. Zack gave him the characteristic smile he gave him every time they met. The boy perplexed him to no end. While he regarded him with nothing more than he would a grunt, the boy tried to pry into his personal matters. He would constantly ask about his well being out of concern and never looked upon him in admiration or awe as other SOLDIERs would.

"Good morning, Sephiroth. So feeling any less grumpy than usual?" Zack asked. And there it was again, no general or sir, just Sephiroth. Sephiroth hated it. No one had dared to validate him as a human being by calling him by his name.

"You're here early, Donovan," Sephiroth replied. He didn't really know what much else to say. It wasn't as if social interaction was something he was well versed in. He didn't know how exactly to react to somebody actually showing concern and not the fake kind as to suck up to him.

Zack looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "You know the usual response to that would be, sure, I'm feeling great today, Donovan. How are you?" Zack said and then let out a long sigh, "And please do us both a favor and just call me Zack for once. It isn't like we don't see each other everyday now."

Sephiroth really couldn't understand this overly optimistic pest in front of him. He made it a point to avoid as much human contact as necessary, but here he was being forced into situations he didn't want to be in. His feline eyes narrowed. "Donovan, I'd advise that you don't lecture me on my conduct because I have more than enough to get onto you about."

"Zack," he corrected. "And who said I was lecturing?" He looked around. "It's all in your head, Sephiroth."

"Sir."

"So anyway, Sephiroth, where were you running off to so early in the morning?"

"Training." Why did he bother to dignify his question with an answer? He tapped a single digit against Masamune.

Zack's face lit up like a neon billboard sign. He grinned. "Hold on and I'll join you. Floor 49, right? I'll be there with my sword and we can spar." Zack turned on his heel and walked back to the elevator, hitting the floor number for his apartment in the headquarters.

Sephiroth rolled his eyes and boarded the other elevator. His morning was once again turning into another big headache. But he might as well test his lieutenant since he had never seen him actually fight.

The elevator dinged signifying his arrival on floor 49. He disembarked and surveyed the area. Only the SOLDIERs were allowed to use this facility and even then they came in like shifts. Morning brought the third class, noon presented the arrival of the seconds and in the evening the first class men trained according to their platoons and abilities.

Everyone stopped as he passed by and saluted him and only stopped when he was well out of sight. He walked briskly down the hall to his private training room that Shinra had so graciously provided him. He slid his keycard through the slot and pressed his palm against the wall near the door. There was a small beep noise as the light changed from red to green and the door slid open.

The room smelled distinctly of pine and citrus from the religious cleaning of the hardwood floors. His nose wrinkled at it. It was funny how it contrasted with the smell of sweat and human body odor that filled the hallways of this floor. Sephiroth was a brat in the sense he didn't want any of his things smelling of sweat or blood. And if the general wanted his training room to smell like roses, then it would damn well smell like roses.

He waited patiently near the tinted windows of the room staring out to the grimy city of Midgar. He could look down upon them and observe, but they weren't allowed the same pleasure and in parts he could see the ladders and service elevators that led down to the slums. He had never been there and decided that he never would. The slums were supposed to be a bigger hellhole than the top plate, not to mention the top siders or sky dwellers as the slum people called them weren't taken kindly there.

He crossed his arms and shifted Masamune slightly. What in Leviathan was taking his lieutenant to fetch his weapon? Maybe the idiot had gotten lost on the way or decided that his brain cells weren't enough in number to figure out how to work the elevator. He was about to battle with an invisible opponent when Zack entered and the door slid closed behind him.

The boy looked at home holding the large broad sword that was slung across his back. The weapon looked extremely unwieldy, but then Zack was a SOLIDER. The boy grinned and twirled the massive blade around his hand.

"So you still feel up to taking me on, Seph?" Zack questioned with that goofy smile of his.

"Hmph. We'll see if you're just all bark, Donovan."

Both of them drew their swords and stared each other down. The round hadn't begun yet but they are already sizing one another up. Their two weapons were in perfect contrast with one another. Zack's Buster sword was a massive broad bladed weapon marred with several dents and scratches. It radiated pure strength and guttural power. Masamune, on the other hand, was a long, thin, slightly curved blade that contained no mars and was so perfectly polished that you could clearly see your own reflection in it.

"Hajime," Sephiroth said in a calm voice.

The two stood silent for the longest while. Zack holding his sword straight in front of him while Sephiroth held Masamune poised like a snake near his head. Zack started to become fidgety and bounced slightly trying to find a weakness in Seph's defense.

Sephiroth smirked clearly enjoying this little mock fight. Though, he would have to hold back so not to kill his second. That wouldn't settle well in his conscious. Born killer he may be but only out of necessity. He waited and his patience was rewarded when Zack rushed forward to make the first strike, always the worse move to make. Sephiroth raised Masamune and met Zack's swing with a well formed block.

Zack growled, but Sephiroth had to be impressed by his strength and skill in which he wielded his blade like it was an extension of his arm. Zack charged again feigning to the right, but attacking low and was once again parried. Zack remained calm and circled him looking for openings.

Any on looker wouldn't have considered them warriors but dancers using metal props as they danced eloquently across the performance stage. The two performers danced until one made a crucial error and found himself soaring through the air to land face first on the ground.

Sephiroth was over him faster than any eye could register as if he teleported and not moved at all. Zack turned around to get up and continue the fight until he saw Sephiroth's blade pressed near his neck. Zack looked up with a mixture of shock and breathlessness. 'So this is why he was the general.' The fight had been decided in less than seven minutes, but it seemed like eternity evading that blade.

Sephiroth remained steady with his sword unwavering not even the slightest shake. He tilted his head slightly. "Yield?"

Zack nodded and helped himself from the floor, wiping the dust off himself. He felt fine now, but knew the bruises would form later and attack him relentlessly. "Damn, did you have to throw me back so hard? Now, my ass won't leave me alone for the rest of the week!" Zack absently rubbed at the new ache developing in his lower region.

Sephiroth shook his head and started walking away, sheathing his sword. "Complain about your problems on your own time. We have work to accomplish. We have to inspect the third rank SOLDIERs."

"Man, I'm so glad that our General is _so_ compassionate," Zack said, his eyes diverting off to the side, "And what do you mean get to work? I recall this being your idea to take a training break." He added with a scowl on his face.

"Your commentary has been noted, Zachary,' Sephiroth replied, detachedly. He couldn't help but to have a little more respect for his lieutenant after that bout.

"I'm sure." Zack had a slightly sarcastic look to his features. He waited a few moments before following after him and then picked up on the small nuance. "Wait… Did you just call me Zachary instead of Donovan?"

"…" Sephiroth just turned his head enough to allow one eye to narrow at him.

"You did which means I must've done something to please you." Zack was smiling without bearing his teeth.

Sephiroth sighed. "All you did was prove that you're a **decent** fighter. At least I know now you didn't get your position because of money." He couldn't really say that he knew a man that had actually worked his way up besides himself, but even that was a given due to his certain 'abnormalities.'

Zack cocked his head to the side with one eyebrow raised. "This is the closest I'm going to get to 'you're a good fighter, Zachary' that I'll receive." He shook his head in slight annoyance throwing his arms slightly in the air before returning them to their usual position at his sides.

"Zachary?"

"Yes, Sephiroth?"

"Get your mind back on the task at hand." His voice was again cold and detached from the world of the living when before it had some life to it.

"Yes, sir…" Zack said in disappointment. He hung his head slightly before lifting it up with a mental smile. 'Well, at least it is some improvement. I can't ask for much when attempting to become on civil terms with a cold hearted bastard such as him. Well, he didn't reprimand me for calling him Sephiroth and he's calling me Zachary now, not Donovan. I suppose he respects me a little or else he wouldn't allow that. Score, Zack: 1 Sephiroth: 0' Zack looked up and swore he saw Sephiroth flinch as if he had heard his thoughts, but quickly dismissed it as him being distracted by his ass pain.

------------------------>


	4. Chapter 4: All the Small Things

**Lights and Shadows**

**------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer:** FFVII and all its characters belong to Square Enix Co. Ltd, not me. I am simply using that world and its characters as muses and a writing exercise. Sue me; you get nothing, good day, sir. I'm a minor you can't sue me so ha! I laugh at you.

_Italics _- mental conversations

' ' - thoughts

" " - normal conversation

----------------------------- 

**Chapter Four: All These Little Things**

Zack had never slept so soundly before this night and he really didn't want to be torn away from the dream he was having. He smiled and snored slightly, completely sprawled across his bed his covers thrown about as well, but he clutched with a death like grip on one corner of the navy blue comforter. He was the portrayal of teenage laziness.

The sun slowly filled the room and fell on a digital alarm clock. The clock switched to 11:00 and began an insipid tone of utter annoyance. Zack groaned and turned over throwing his pillow over his head. He reached out blindly searching for the damnable device that dared to rouse him from his slumber. He realized he had moved his nightstand out of arm's reach so that the snooze or the off button wasn't an option from the bed. He growled and lifted up his pillow to stare at the red tick marks glaring at him. He turned on his side, trying to ignore it, but it donned on him about what time it was. His eyes widened and he immediately sat up in bed.

"Fuck fuck fuck! Oh shit! I'm so late! Sephiroth is going to kill me!" He screamed, beating his hands against his forehead. How could he have been so careless?

He turned the alarm clock off and ran over to his closet, tossing some clothes out. He really didn't have time to be picky showing up dressed haphazardly was far better than not showing up at all. He ran to the shower and took only three minutes to clean himself. He threw his light blue denim jeans on followed by a black tanktop. He brushed his teeth and barely touched his hair, figuring the water from the shower would tame it to a point. He grabbed his folders and ran to the elevators slamming his hand on the button for the correct floor.

The elevator couldn't have moved any slower to him than if there had been an old lady trying to get off. When the doors finally opened he ran down the halls in a speed he didn't know he possessed. He opened the door to the office and finally let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He was bent down with his hands on his knees. He stared down at the floor, knowing this race was just getting started. Now he would race to save his ass from Sephiroth's vengeance.

"I'm here, Sephiroth. Sorry that I'm so-" He cut himself off abruptly when he noticed that the silver haired man in question was nowhere to be found.

Zack looked up and gazed around the office. Sephiroth's chair was empty and the man wasn't standing around in there. Zack ran his hand through his unruly hair and took on a look of curiosity. He really didn't expect Sephiroth to up and leave without locking his door even if it was for something as simple as coffee. That was ruled out immediately when Zack spotted his coffee mug filled to the brim.

"Well, that rules that possibility out." He sighed and then seated himself in his own chair, propping his feet up on his desk. It was something that Sephiroth hated him to do, but with him not here who could say that he couldn't? "Well… I guess I'll have to start without him. Maybe if I'm lucky he won't know how late I really was." A quick witted smile spread across his face as he reached across his desk and started on the paperwork.

Zack really couldn't recall how long he spent reading over old reports and applications. All the words blurred into this almost unintelligent mass in his mind. Sentences such as 'shows extreme potential' translated to 'Shaun had exceeding long ponytails.' He shook his head and looked up.

"I don't see how he does this all day. This is so BORING." He groaned as his eyes shifted over to the digital clock on the wall. It read 2:00. His eyes narrowed. "This is ridiculous…"

An idea popped into his mind as he gazed across the desk, his intercom system that connected him directly to Colonel Randsom, the secretary. Why not? If anyone knew where Sephiroth had gone, then Randsom would know. Zack lazily reached across his desk and pressed down the red button, holding it there.

A cackling and then a woman's voice came over the intercom. "Yes, Mr. Donovan?"

"Randsom, do you have any idea as to where Sephiroth wandered off to?"

"He went home a while ago, sir, after Hojo escorted him out."

Zack's face drew into this slightly vexed look. "Oh really…? Thank you, Randsom." He let go of his hold on the button not awaiting her reply. "There is no way in hell I am going to let him laze around while I do his work for him. I think now would be a good time to take a lunch break."

A sinister smile grew across his face as he waltzed over to Sephiroth's desk. Surely, he had to leave some documentation around as to his home address. He was sure the man wouldn't live in the Shin-Ra building. That would be asking to be bothered at all hours of the day. And Zack knew all too well from experience that the man enjoyed his private time and perhaps a little too much.

He started rummaging through the drawers and folders and produced nothing in thirty minutes. It was very discouraging. He took Sephiroth for granted. The man _really_ didn't want to be found. Then, a light bulb turned itself on inside Zack's brain. He retrieved his keycard from the depths of his pocket and looked over to Sephiroth's computer. He placed the small card into the proper slot and waited until the Shin-Ra logo went away. The system pleased him when it welcomed him and allowed him onto a lot of restricted files off limits to most.

He sat down in Sephiroth's chair feeling empowered. He was in the general's chair. Who could say they had sat in the general's chair? Well, him that is who! He shook the train of thought off rail and typed a search for the addresses of the executive employees' homes. The computer produced a long list of names.

'Why am I really doing this? Oh yeah, that's right. He barks at me everyday to get to work, but here he is taking a holiday. Besides someone needs to make that man aware of his faults.'

He placed his chin in his hand and scrolled down the list in utter boredom. Then, his eyes caught sight of his superior's name and smiled in victory. He clicked on the file wondering why it had been so simple to retrieve this information. Man, how many women in Midgar wouldn't pay to know this information lay before him. Though, a lot of his biography was shrouded by this blocked message meaning his access card wasn't high enough to grant him access to it.

'Odd… Even my clearance codes aren't good enough for the general. I guess Shin-ra really wants to keep anything from the media or anyone who would leak out anything.' He shrugged. 'But it is none of my concern, I suppose.'

He took a pen in hand and scribbled down the address on a scratch sheet of paper on Sephiroth's desk. He gathered it and his PHS before exiting the office and locking it up. No use it letting unauthorized personal into the general and now lieutenant general's office. He threw his hand up at Randsom as he walked by.

The girl had obviously had a crush on him and the general as she always curled her hair whenever they looked at her. Zack winked at her and she looked down to her knees, blushing. He always had his way with the ladies. The way he flirted casually and well his looks didn't hurt either.

"Um… Mr. Donovan is there anything you could possibly need?" Randsom said, curling a lock of hair on one finger.

Zack smiled. How could he deny a pretty lady the time of day to at least see his smile for once? Besides, Sephiroth probably never gave the woman the time of the day. "I'm just taking my lunch break, Randsom. I'll be back in a few."

Randsom smiled in his direction before he strolled off to the elevator. The floors seemed to fly by this time as he neared the first floor. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. The floor was relatively quiet as even getting inside required an appointment. Billboards and posters decorated the floor along with a set of grand stairs that reminded Zack of a first class cruise liner.

He waved as people passed by him and he made his way to the employee parking lot. There had been a section set off specifically for the SOLDIERs who lived in the building to park their cars. He placed his hands inside his pockets as he walked over to the blue motorcycle he called his own. It had taken him a lot of saving up to afford it and he treated it so. Being male he had to invest in getting a bike, but he hardly ever drove it. He got on the vehicle and started his quest to find Sephiroth's apartment.

Zack found himself in front of five floored apartment complex in the upper part of town where Midgar's finest resided. It was a large gray building that could have been mistaken for a living quarters for secretaries. He sighed and extracted the piece of paper from his pocket. He glanced down at the address and walked forward to the stairs. He figured on the way up that each floor most likely housed a Turk as according to the records on Shin-Ra's files. More or less each floor was the entire apartment. Zack shook his head, wishing he was this privileged in his accommodations.

When he reached the fifth floor everything was eerily quiet. 'Not even the birds make sounds up here.' He looked up and walked over to the only door on the floor. He noted the palm scanner beside it and cursed himself. Well, so much for sneaking in and surprising him. He knocked on the door and waited. This process continued until he realized no one was going to answer. He was about to give up when the door moved of its own accord and opened.

"You've got to be kidding me that it was unlocked this entire time!"

Zack slowly pushed the door completely open. All the lights were out, but Sephiroth couldn't have been careless enough to leave his home unlocked and unguarded, could he? Zack was about to come to that conclusion, but then he heard something moaning.

"Sephiroth, are you there?"

Another moan came as his reply. Zack fumbled around before finding a light switch. Light flooded into the room and illuminated the ornate and expensive leather furniture in the living room. The walls were red and the floor was made of cherry hardwood. But he had no time to enjoy the scenery as he found the source of the moaning.

Laying prostate on the couch was his superior staring out from a small space between his eyelids and face. His pupils were nowhere to be found and his eyes were gazed over. His mouth was slightly open as he breathed lightly from it. He had a blanket pulled up to his waist and his hair fanned about him. That is when Zack chose to notice the clothes thrown on the floor. Sephiroth's entire ensemble was there minus a pair of boxers, that's if the man wore any. He may be keen to going around commando style.

The lack of clothes and the current state of his leader led Zack only to believe one thing. "You're telling me that you ditched work to come home to fuck some woman…. Great… and leave me at the office to do all the work while you're at home having all the fun!" He threw his hands into the air. "You know next time you could be considerate and invite me too." He crossed his arms.

Sephiroth offered no response in return, but instead lay in the same position on his back. Zack cocked his head to the side before waltzing over to the couch. He bent down at his waist to lean over the general. He snapped his fingers in front of the man, but produced no response not even movement in his eyes.

"Gaia to Sephiroth, are you home?" He waved his hand in front of his face. Zack smirked. He knew a way to make the man move. He reached out and poked Sephiroth's forehead. He knew the man wouldn't tolerate it from the previous experiences Zack had in poking him. This time, though, Sephiroth didn't move. Zack cocked his head to the side. Sephiroth's head was burning hot. "You're not feeling well...? And you came home with no one to watch over you...? You didn't even let anyone know? Damn... you're a loner..." He looked down at the man and sighed. "I guess you expect me to take care of you? Fine, I guess I can't leave a friend like this anyway..."

Zack walked off looking for a flannel to place on his friend's forehead in hopes to calm his fevered body. Zack knew exactly what ailed him, especially after reviewing the symptoms he had seen so often in his fellow men and sometimes... himself. It was mako poisoning brought on by the injections that SOLDIERs took, but he never saw a case this bad. He found a flannel, ran it in cold water, and then placed it on Sephiroth's forehead. He sighed and decided to wait around to make sure he was all right.

Sephiroth felt his consciousness stir as the reality of his body's pain became apparent. He felt immobile and his skin burned with a cold fire. He wanted his own skin to be pulled off to escape the pain the mako wrought upon his system. Sounds and smell filtered to his prone form and the distinct feel of a cold compress on his head that he didn't recall putting there before he passed out on the couch. His vision finally came into focus as he surveyed the blurry forms of his penthouse. He smelled something akin to vegetable soup. His eyes shifted towards his chair. There sat his second with his legs crossed in the chair in barefeet. Since when in the hell did he live here?

Sephiroth groaned. "I must still be dreaming..."

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Seph," Zack said with a smile. "Feeling any better...?"

"I didn't know dreams were this vivid, my consciousness can perfectly imitate his voice. Gaia, I am losing it..." he muttered seemlingly to himself.

"Sorry, bud, you're not lucky enough to have me as a figment of your imagination." Zack stood and walked over to the couch. He removed the flannel from Sephiroth's head and checked on his fever. Sephiroth wanted to protest but couldn't find the will to move his limbs properly. They were still paralyzed by the poisoning. "Well, your fever has gone down and you woke just in time to try my soup!" Zack walked joyfully off into the kitchen.

"Zachary... care to explain to me, why the hell you are in my penthouse?" Sephiroth said in a tone filled with ire.

"Well... You weren't at work so I started to worry because some bastard left me with all the paperwork. So... I searched the Shin-Ra's database and found your home address. So I came here and the door was opened so I let myself in. Anyway, well, I saw you ill with Mako poisoning most likely induced from Hojo-"

"How the fuck did you know that!"

"Damn, calm down. It was an assumption since I remembered Hojo telling you about an appointment and then your symptoms led me to believe it was mako poisoning..." Zack walked into the living room with a bowl of steaming hot soup. "And I made you some soup to make you feel better..." He smiled and he bent down beside the couch.

Sephiroth looked up with confusion in his eyes. "Zachary... why even bother with this..."

Zack blinked. The man wasn't yelling at him? He sighed and shook his head. "Because I can't leave a sick friend alone to take care of himself, can I?"

"Friend...?"

"Yes, Sephiroth, F-R-I-E-N-D. You're my friend... so I like to believe..."

"Zachary...?"

"Yes...?" He lifted his eyebrows.

"Thanks... I suppose..."

"Anytime, Sephiroth." He said with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5: Bureaucrats and Zack’s Girlfr

**Lights and Shadows**

**------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer:** FFVII and all its characters belong to Square Enix Co. Ltd, not me. Wow, if you haven't gotten this by now, you're a sad, sad individual.

_Italics _- mental conversations

' ' - thoughts

" " - normal conversation

----------------------------- 

**Chapter Five: Bureaucrats and Zack's Girlfriend**

Sephiroth sat quietly in his desk, writing almost mechanically on the papers on his desk. His 'partner' sat across the room staring at a document with a bored expression implanted on his face. He had that same expression ever since they started work again. Sephiroth never would admit it, but it was nice to have someone else in his office, even, if it was someone as loud and vociferous as Zachary Donovan. Zack's eyes tore away from the document and that only meant one thing: the percentage of him using that mouth of his was very high.

"Seph, do we have to do this all day long? Because this stuff is boring enough to put old people to sleep and old people like these kinds of things," Zack voiced out.

Sephiroth allowed his breath to escape harshly from his nose. "Until we have to inspect First Class in the evening, and then tomorrow you can sort through SOLDIER applications. Otherwise, stop your complaining and get your work done, Zachary."

Zack frowned slightly and then waved it off. "Okay, but are you feeling well today? You're still pale… wait… you're always pale, but that's beside the point."

He didn't bother to look up from his writing. "I'll live."

"That's good considering yesterday you couldn't move. At least we both got the day off, right? You should invite me over to watch some TV sometime."

"Zachary, don't push it."

"Never hurt to try." There was that cheesy smile of his again. Sephiroth hated it. It perplexed so on how this man could care so much about his well being. "Anyway, let's try to get done before this evening. I promised my girlfriend I'd go meet up with her then."

Sephiroth looked up at that. "You… have a girlfriend?" His voice was very calm and then he started laughing. Imagine someone as loud and flirtatious as Zack keeping a girlfriend longer than five minutes.

Zack glared at him. "Yes, I do. At least I can get laid… Even though, I'm not the one who needs it, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth glared at him with a look that could kill. "Zachary."

Zack smirked slightly in a devilish way. "Oh, I get it! You don't go for girls. That's all right."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed at him. The man, no, boy didn't know when to stop. "My gender preferences shouldn't be any of your concern, nor my private life."

'What private life?' Seph's eyes narrowed even more as if he had heard him. "Well, of course it is, Sephiroth! I work along side you so it'd be nice to know so I can hook you up with someone nice!"

If anger could radiate in the air, it was at that moment. Sephiroth looked posed to kill Zack.

"What did I do wrong!"

"You're clever. You figure it out."

Zack frowned. "All I did was try to be nice to you. You know even that asshole Hojo takes in lovers ever once in a while. No one can walk alone in life, Sephiroth. It goes against human nature."

Sephiroth continued with his reports not once looking up. 'Funny, human…? I'd be surprised if I still was that after all the chemicals I've been injected with.'

Zack left out a sigh through his nostrils and got back to work. If Sephiroth wanted to remain silent, let him. He racked his hand through his hair and caught a glimpse at the clock. It was noon which meant two things. One, lunch break was thirty minutes from then and two he had seven hours before he would see his girlfriend, Aerith.

"So Sephiroth, where are we going to for lunch?"

"I don't remember saying 'we' were going anywhere."

"Fine, I see. You don't like me and after all the things I did for you." He crossed his arms and pouted albeit slightly.

Sephiroth sighed. He couldn't find himself much hating Zack as he would have thought. More he had respect for him ever since their sparring match and then yesterday. 'I don't believe anyone has actually cared before now. I don't quite understand what he getting from this. He can't move up any higher in the ranks unless he wants my job.' Sephiroth chuckled lightly to himself. Now, that was a thought that landed people in the mental ward.

"No, Zachary, I eat alone."

"Well, today, you're not. You will have the thrill of having my presence with you!"

"Wonderful." Warning sarcasm is the next step down from not allowing 'that to happen' state. 'Well, if it is hero worship or bribery, I'll be sure to cut him down right now.'

----------------------- 

Sephiroth stared idly out of the window of the limousine with both of his hands intertwined in his lap. He couldn't recollect the last time he actually went out himself to eat lunch. Normally, his secretary or some delivery boy brought what he ordered. But Zack insisted that it was better to go retrieve it yourself. The boy was across the seat gawking at all the gadgets in the car. Sephiroth pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Zachary, sit back and stop bouncing around like a chocobo on drugs."

"Oh calm down, I'm not hurting anything besides maybe aggravating you." He smiled. "Any-way, I hope you'll like this place. It isn't ritzy, but the food's good. Though, I did have them clear out in advance most of the potential fan girls. Then again, most people will think you're cosplaying as Sephiroth and doing a damn good job at it."

The car stopped at an upper middle class restaurant. Now, this was a first time. Sephiroth was a brat in the way that he only got the best or the most expensive. He stepped out of the car with such natural grace that he carried himself. He always seemed regal and noble when he moved. Zack walked beside him with his hands tucked into his pockets with a slightly slumped posture, the opposite of posed and dignity of the person beside him.

Inside they were escorted by a waiter to their table. Zack noted that Sephiroth did change into something more civilian looking. He had discarded his leather trenchcoat for a polyester long coat that he pushed the sleeves up to his elbows. He wore a black tanktop as well. Gaia knows that he needn't show off his chest. There was no need to attract more attention to himself than necessary. Zack sighed as he took a menu in hand. Sephiroth had already told the waiter what drinks they wanted, and the waiter served it to them. He had only to listen inside Zack's mind for his drink of choice. He really didn't want unnecessary conversation either, even if most of the restaurant stared in their direction.

"Man, it looks like you've already attracted some friends." Zack snickered, referring to the women who gawked at him.

"They aren't friends, just a bunch of horny women looking for a cute guy for a quick lay."

"Don't be so harsh, besides, one nighters can be fun!" Zack closed one of his eyes and sipped his drink.

"Only you would know."

"Don't be so harsh. You should try it at least one time in your life. You only live once."

'That explains your behavior."

Zack frowned, but could say no more as the waiter came to serve the both of them. He took their order and went back to collect on it. It took a record time to get their meals at about fifteen minutes. Still, they were surrounded by stares and whispers. Sephiroth cringed at this. He hated his mental capabilities and heightened senses. He really never cared to know what those women **wanted **to do to him. To him it was an unappealing venture. By no means was he innocent, but he'd never admit to the times alcohol led him to do less than desirable actions he had to deal with when he woke up the next morning. Most of the women he remembered waking up to the next morning were geishas. They wanted to please the SOLDIERs over their victories even if their own men were just defeated.

They attempted to save their own skins in the end, trying to work into his good graces as to persuade him to keep their culture and dignity in tact. He would visit and stay at the inns with his men where the geisha filled him with sake and then took him to the backrooms. He would arouse the next morning with a migraine and an extremely sore back. He never really did it out of passion, but in a moment of weakness that he gave into his base instincts and the alcohol.

"Hey Sephiroth are you okay?" Zack asked, breaking him from his trance.

"Fine."

"Okay because you were blanking out there for a second."

"Just reminiscing."

Zack nodded and asked no more of him. A man's past was his own and that was something even his prying self couldn't bring to get out of a man, especially Sephiroth. He continued to eat and watch the man in front of him. The more he got to know Sephiroth, the more he intrigued Zack.

Reflecting back, lunch with Zachary was a welcomed relief from normal routine. Then, it was back to the same routine, work on reports, inspect the troops, and attend a meeting with the top executives. Apparently, the war had been declared officially over, but some platoons remained to strip Wutai of any dignity Godo managed to salvage. That just meant more headaches for him. Soon he would be sent back to Wutai, not as a warrior, but as a representative of Shin-Ra 'bringing peace'.

He rubbed his temples, even in the sanctuary of his home he couldn't rest. Well, it didn't help that he had been ill just the day before and it still affected him. He still had paperwork to complete and it was already well into the night. Most people were out on the town enjoying the company of their significant other. He, by choice, chose not to ever participate, but instead stay at home and dwell over his work. There wasn't much else to do. The television was on, but it wasn't anything that invoked his interest. He felt that he was going to pull an all nighter.

If Shinra wasn't so damn adamant about getting things done so quickly, he wouldn't have to stay up late at night. Heidegger also had a habit of adding to his workload. The man was fat and lazy. He gave work to Sephiroth that he should have done himself, but decided Sephiroth needed more work. It often made him wonder how the man became the leader of Peace Enforcement. True, the man had some sense under the lard that caked him, but money got you everywhere in Midgar. This was true of Heidegger. What he wouldn't pay to see that man get his just dues.

He looked up at his door, hearing footsteps outside in the corridors. Shortly afterwards a gentle knock came to the door. Sephiroth groaned. Who would dare disturb him at this ungodly hour? He opened the door to find himself staring down at Zachary. Sephiroth's expression didn't change, but he appeared less than happy with the situation.

"What do you want, Zachary?" His voice was calm and very controlled.

Zack barged past him and made himself comfortably on the couch. The man reeked of alcohol. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at him. He shouldn't even be allowed into his home, but couldn't find reason to throw him out.

"You don't mind me staying here do you?" His words were slurred and it took him much effort to talk. He leaned back into the sofa and made himself at home without awaiting a reply.

Sephiroth growled and threw a heavy blanket at him before walking off to the back part of his home. Damn, he wasn't going to get any work done with him around. He didn't have time to deal with Zack's foolery. Drunks were the worse type of humanity to deal with. He should have thrown him to the street, but he owed him for tending to his poisoning the day prior. Zack offered him a goofy, drunkard smile.

"Aren't you gonna- assk what happened…?" Zack leaned dangerously over the arm of the couch pointing haphazardly into the air.

"No, I can already guess."

Zack continued, choosing not to listen to him. "Well… I had the most wonderful time! Until Aerith started acting funny. Something about people going afters her. I kill himm or her… She thinks I have something to do with it… Ha! Funny, me a kidnapper!" He started laughing uncontrollably.

Sephiroth raised his eyebrow slightly and narrowed his eyes slightly at Zack before retreated to his own room. "Go to bed, Zachary."

"Yes sir."

--------

The room remained fairly quiet. The long conference table was seated with every leader of the Shin-Ra government minus the General of the armed forces and his second in command. It was late at night, but everyone sat to full attention with the Turks standing erect with their hands behind their backs. Shinra sat at the head of the table with his hands clasped together in front of his face. Scarlet puffed idly on her cigarette. Beside her was Reeve who looked uneasy, but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary. Hojo as always was focused and had a certain glee in his black eyes. Palmer was chewing on a donut and Heidegger was shifting through some documents. Though, there was a new addition to the panel that night, the young vice president, Rufus Shinra.

Scarlet flicked the excess ashes from her cigarette. "So what is the point in this meeting and at such an ungodly hour? I've things to do."

"Don't fret your little blonde head, Scarlet; you won't be here for long. I've called to order to announce the official surrender of Wutai." Shinra answered, remaining calm, but with an evil look in his eyes.

"Yes, that means we can finally establish the new reactors over there," Heidegger said in deadpan.

"The mako is too far underground there for us to try such a venture," Reeve responded, "We've already looked into it and the mako is so far down that it wouldn't be profitable to try."

"Then, what are we going to use Wutai for? There is no use conquering the area and not making full use of their resources." Scarlet commented.

The young brat prince raised his head. "We can always disband their army and use it as a tourist attraction. That would increase our profits so that we can develop our other programs back here in Midgar."

"Brilliant." Shinra stated, "I want this reported to the general and the other representatives going to these treaty assignments. Thank you, Rufus. Everyone take notes and follow suit in action."

"What about the space program, sir?" Palmer interjected.

"Nothing will change." Shinra said with a cool demeanor. "At this moment in time that is the least of our concerns. Everyone is dismissed except those I conversed with earlier."

Reeve, Scarlet, Palmer, Rufus, and Heidegger stood and left without another word. That left only the Turks and Hojo with President Shinra. There was a long eerie silence and edginess in the air. The Turks shifted nervously, no one was comfortable around Hojo except Shinra. Veld lifted his head up and cautiously approached the President.

"Let's get straight to the point. How is Project J-1 progressing? You have failed to inform me as of late." Shinra started.

"He's progressing as beautifully as we expected and I can now move him into the final phase of the Project. The problem is getting him to showing us where the Promise Land is. Otherwise he has shown flawless results in every aspect. Though, I do desire that his mental capabilities were a bit better." Hojo replied.

"You're rambling again, Professor," Shinra took up a cigar and lit it. "At any rate, professor, make sure that I see results. I've invested too much money into this project for it to fail. I want you, personally, to make sure that any potential problem is weeded out at the source, immediately."

"Certainly, Mr. President, all the problems will be weeded out very, very soon," Hojo's shoulders shook slightly as he laughed to himself.


	6. Chapter 6: I Won't Let You Go

**Lights and Shadows**

**------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer:** FFVII and all its characters belong to Square Enix Co. Ltd, not me. Wow, if you haven't gotten this by now, you're a sad, sad individual.

_Italics _- mental conversations

' ' - thoughts

" " - normal conversation

Author's Note: This fic is obviously going to be slightly AU as the introduction of Crisis Core and Before Crisis. If anyone has information on Before Crisis please send it to me via e-mail. I would like to know more about the Turks so I can expand on them slightly. Admit without supporting characters stories wouldn't amount to much. . 

Warning: Angsty Zack ahead.

----------------------------- 

**Chapter Six: I Won't Let You Go**

Zack looked around the office space, feeling quite alone. Sephiroth had been sent back to Wutai earlier that morning. He stayed behind to handle things in Midgar, not that it required much handling in the first place. He sighed, why had Sephiroth acquired the less boring of the two jobs? It wasn't fair most of the time and the difference in their paychecks and benefits left a gap even if it was just a single rank difference.

Randsom peered inside, smiling, bringing in Zack's daily coffee. He had her trained well in knowing when he needed his coffee. Her occasional interludes were a welcome relief from the silence he had to grow accustomed to since Sephiroth had been transferred. He hated it, the drone of the computer and the shuffling of feet just outside the office, and the four walls staring down. He adorned human company and now it was nowhere to be found, be damned to Shinra and his workings of the company. No one really liked how he ran things anyway. They were paid to keep that a secret, though.

"How are you today, Mr. Donovan?" Randsom asked with that sickeningly sweet smile of hers.

"As fine as I can be, I suppose."

"You appear antsy, sir, if you don't mind me saying."

Zack nodded and decided he needed to walk off his hyperactive streak that had appeared in the last few minutes. "Randsom, hold all of my calls, I'm going for a walk and a little exercise."

"Certainly, Mr. Donovan." She smiled and walked outside after bowing very slightly.

Zack gave her his casual smile and walked out of the office. His steps were slightly downtrodden as he walked through the hallways. His hands were shoved into his pockets, looking at the ground. People tended to pay little mind to him as he passed by. Why had everything suddenly turned to isolation? He couldn't have been that unappealing. His hair alone should have brought him some attention, but it seemed everyone decided Zachary had lived on another existence plane and didn't deserve one ounce of attention or even so much a glance. He stopped and hid behind a corner overhearing Tseng talking to Scarlet. He learned from early on that Tseng was his ally. The man hadn't proven himself otherwise and he was curious as to why Scarlet decided to grace her presence on the floor for military management. As of late all of the high executives had been acting oddly towards him.

"I don't see what's so important about this secret project of Hojo's, but we have more important matters to worry about," Scarlet said with one hand on her hip.

"Like what?" Tseng had always been straight to the point so that he didn't waste time talking. He was a busy man.

"The fact AVALANCHE dares to rebel against us and attack. We'll send some SOLDIERs with you next time, quite possibly the new Lieutenant General. Hojo doesn't like him hanging around the general so Shinra is trying to separate them." Scarlet tucked her bangs behind her ear.

"Does Hojo have a motive behind this?"

"I'm not paid to know that!" Funny, she normally was the gossip queen in the building. She learned numerous things by working her way 'privately' to her man's convections.

Zack pressed himself against the wall feeling an ache wield up inside his heart. He absently grabbed his shirt above his heart. It was a crushing feeling, and he couldn't stand it. Sephiroth was the only one in the higher ups who would talk to him and not debate about his family's social status. He closed his eyes. Oh, how he hated Shinra. Everything was for the benefit of one no matter who was crushed in the process, including the Lieutenant General. To say the least it hurt. He didn't want to be taken away from his friend. He had been taken away from friends before when he left Gongaga, when he entered SOLDIER, and when he was promoted. So why did the thought of Sephiroth being taken away from him hurt so much. Of course he hurt him slightly when he had been separated from friends before, but this time it was crushing and his heart ached a hundred times more.

'I don't like this at all. So what if I spend time with the man? Hojo should be happy that he has a friend. Gaia knows he doesn't have many.' Zack thought to himself before walking off. If his mood could've been squashed that was one moment in his life when it was.

-------------

For a while he found it hard to concentrate. He constantly thought about how he could remain close to Sephiroth without Shinra making a big fuss over it. Then, there was the problem with the recent attacks from the rebel group. Tseng had led the investigation and isolated the rebels to a collective group of slum dwellers. This had been going on for the four days Sephiroth resided in Wutai. There was no news, well, to him, anyway, of when he was to return. Knowing the way Shinra was acting he wouldn't be told until two months later, if that. He shifted through the papers Randsom placed on his desk; apparently they were new orders from higher chairmen.

Zack looked down at the papers in slight disgust. It appeared Hojo was going to get his way. He wondered how that greasy old man had privileges over everything; unless he was sexing up Shinra on the side. Zack vomited in his mouth at the thought and quickly changed to a different subject in his brain. He looked back at the paper currently in his hands.

'So they want me to send a troop, led by myself, to deal with the rebels? What are we? This is the Turks job. Shinra's definitely putting a lot on the line. If he sends a troop out it would get others to join the cause because they'll think the government doesn't trust them. All of this just for Hojo!' He sighed. 'They are definitely trying to keep me away from him. Sephiroth would never be sent out on such an asinine mission.'

He stood up and planted his hands firmly on the desktop. "I Zachary Donovan will not be thwarted so easily!" 'Plus, Seph's good friend, even if the man has a few quirks… He just has a tough time showing his love for me. Damn you, pretty boy!' He sat down in his chair. "But first I need some coffee before I take on anyone."

---------------

Zack had never felt worse in his entire life. His soul was torn asunder and his heart constricted too uncomfortably in his chest. The mission had gone well and the rebels had been subdued for the moment, but at a cost. His friends from first class had been assigned to his troop. Sebastian and Essai had gone far back with him. They entered the SOLDIER program with him around the same time. They trained with one another and for a while shared the same bunker.

All was going according to the plan, when something went terribly wrong. The two of them were kidnapped and no one had a clue as to where they were taken. They searched for three days straight when they finally showed up, but what Zack saw were no longer his friends he grew to know and love, but monsters altered by the rebel scientist, Fuhito.

Their bodies had been transformed and they no longer remembered Zack or the company. They attacked mercilessly, killing several troopers in the process. Zack left obligated to save them from that existence that couldn't be called living. Only he could have rescued them so he ended their lives. They were already dead inside, but that didn't change the pain he was feeling at the moment. He wanted to cry, but he was male and he had taught himself that crying did little to help. He ran his hands up his forehead and weaved his fingers into his hair with his elbows propped on his desk. He couldn't get any work done like this. His emotional state was too distracting for anything productive to get done.

"I can't believe I had to kill them. There were like brothers to me and I, I-"

Tseng looked up from his position sitting on top of Sephiroth's desk. He had watched over him since the incident. As a Turk he was far used to these kinds of things. "If it is any consolation, it was bound to happen. Someone would have had to kill them. At least this way they died at the hands of someone who wanted them to be saved and not just dead." Zack nodded. At least he had that to rely on. "Maybe Sephiroth could help with this better. He has had more experience at hiding deaths and emotional trauma. He is coming back today later in the afternoon."

Zack looked up with a slight smile on his face. Anything to get his mind off of his gruesome accomplishment was welcomed. "Well, that helps, but it doesn't change the fact, that they are still dead. And I don't know what to do. You're right maybe he'll know what to do."

"You're close to him, aren't you?" Tseng asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I would like to think so since my promotion there haven't been a lot of people to talk to but him. I would like to call him a close friend, but I don't know if he'd say the same thing about me. I hope he would."

Tseng stifled a laugh. "I think it's more than that... Just do me a favor and treat him well. He doesn't let many near him and he wouldn't forgive you if you violated his trust and nor would I. He needs a good other half, like you."

"I'm not his fucking lover, Tseng!" Zack screamed, standing up and slightly irate.

Tseng snickered to himself, mentally, but outwardly maintained his calm demeanor. "Like I said take good care of him." He pushed himself off the desk and walked out the door.

"Fine! Walk away! But I am ONLY his friend, not his lover, asswipe!" Zack sometimes hated that man. Maybe because he was from Wutai or his annoying comments that he said so casually as if it were the truth and not 'Tseng's logic.'

"Time will tell!" Tseng yelled back.

"I have a girlfriend, asshole!" Zack sat back down. "Damn man needs to mind his own business." He shook his head. What possessed him to think that a Turk would be able to help him? Sephiroth's lover...? That was a laugh. True, Zack was a flirtatious man, but men weren't really an option as far as he was concerned.

He huffed and went back to his thoughts. Besides, Sephiroth could get anyone he desired so why should he even look to someone as annoying as himself or as incompatible. Why was he even thinking on this subject? He was a heterosexual male with straight convections…. Right? He felt uneasy with himself and his face conveyed that as he looked at the window with the buildings in the distance. The urge to cry had been replaced with confusion and disarray. When had he gone so off track?

He looked down to his intercom system and paged Randsom for coffee. She arrived not too long afterwards with the hot liquid. She said nothing to him, but only gave him an apologetic smile. He watched her as she retreated from the room. Right then he would have killed for the coffee to be something like liquor or vodka, whichever, it didn't matter. He wanted this position and he had earned it, but certain things were only growing in size with his problems. He had a friend, but now things were tearing them apart and now his older friends lie in some nameless grave with no flowers. Other SOLDIERs hated him because of his age and how quickly he had ascended to his rank. He sighed, picking up his coffee and walking over to the window. He sipped at it as he stared into the vast gray oblivion of Midgar. All he seemed to do as of late was make more enemies.

He hated this constant battle of trying to keep his happiness and being shot down. His parents, though they loved him, never really cared for what Zack wanted. They only wanted for the village mores thought men should do. He left Gongaga to carve out his own path in life. He joined Shin-Ra in hopes of having a lifestyle he'd always dreamt of. Now he had what he wanted, but to what cost?

He hated feeling this way, alone and melancholy. He often felt this way as a child and now he was revisiting it. While some masked their pain with cold shoulders, he masked it with his unbridled joy. The top of life was so lonely and there seemed to be no escape in sight. He swirled the brown liquid in his mug slightly and smiled slightly. He still had Aerith and Sephiroth. They were there even if one of them wouldn't treat him in the same way he did, it was someone to hold onto. He was human and he needed some human contact that would ground him with stability. Aerith would be there for the affection he craved and Sephiroth would be there so he could sort out his problems and to draw strength from. But others who looked down upon him wanted that stolen from him. Something that was that precious to his heart that it ached at the thought of its absence. He half smiled with a solemn look on his face.

He turned to stare at the empty desk in the office. It was so plain, but to him it was much more than where his superior conducted his job. It was where his friend would sit and appear as the statue of strength and pillar of absolute control. Sephiroth may have been a cold bastard, but he was determined. He admired that and often pulled from that. It helped ease his uneasiness whenever things were looking down in the office or when the meeting didn't quite go as planned. That thought alone allowed Zack to sit down and find a way to inspect the applications and inspect the SOLDIERs. Even if Sephiroth or Aerith wasn't there, they gave him his strength and determination.

Zack worked late into the evening, not paying attention to the time. Randsom and most of the people on the floor had retired for the night, but he couldn't bring himself to resign just yet. He was going to make sure that Sephiroth had nothing to yell at him for. He even went so far as to do Sephiroth's work for him. Both inboxes were nearly empty and it would only take a few mere minutes more until it was all done. Then, he could come in tomorrow later than normal. He would have earned the right to sleep in. He sighed midnight was approaching and he wanted it done now. He was filled with excitement as he picked up the last paper that needed filling out. He was filled with a glee that was sorely needed from early events of the day.

The door to the office creaked in protest as someone opened it. Zack looked up with weary, but happy eyes, his pen temporarily forgotten. The sound of black leather and steel toed boots echoed in the drone of silence. Silver hair flowed about the new intruder. The man's countenance never changed, but this time it seemed his swirling depths of green showed contentment in seeing the raven haired man before him, but that may have been Zack's overactive imagination. Zack looked up at Sephiroth with a half smile on his face and with eyes half closed. Sephiroth nodded and looked between the two desks before turning to Zack with an eyebrow raised. The unspoken question was written over his pale features.

"I got all the work done." He held up the paper in front of himself. "This is the last one of today... well now yesterday. So you can go home and not worry about anything until morning."

"That was above your call of duty, Zachary."

"Yes, but Randsom tells me that you stay here well into the AM hours at night and I thought after such a long trip that you could just go to bed. You wouldn't have done so unless the paperwork was done, so I did for you."

Sephiroth looked at him with his eyebrows ever so slightly furrowed. Any one wouldn't be able to pick up on this subtle thing, but Zack knew how to catch what little emotion he showed. This made Zack's smile grow and he completely forgot about his troubles for that moment. He had made his stoic general at a loss for words. He only made that face when he wasn't sure of something. It was a small victory on Zack's part. He looked down at the document before him and signed it at the bottom holding it out to Sephiroth.

"And now it is all finished. Welcome back home, Seph." Now, a slight frown accompanied his furrowed eyebrows. Zack laughed every so slightly. "No need to thank me just helping you out." Zack stood and went to leave, but was stopped when a firm hand gripped onto his shoulder. He looked over and found Sephiroth staring straight in front of himself and turned his head to look him in the eyes.

Now it was apparent of his furrowed brows and frown. To Zack he looked like a child unsure to tell their parents something that they didn't understand. "Zachary... I..."

Zack smiled and patted the man's back, noting the slight flinch as he didn't like being touched. "No need I understand. You're appreciative and you think that it is nonsense that I went and did something like that. Just face it, Seph, I am a good friend and you know it."

The corner of the elder man's lips curved upwards very slightly. He sighed as his shoulders relaxed, his eyes screamed uncertainty. "Yes, you are." He removed his hand from the man's shoulder and stood holding his elbows.

Zack smiled. "Now, go to your home, you look exhausted." He walked down the hall with slight joy. He definitely felt better now. 'I guess I need friends more than I realize.' He ran his hand through his hair.

-----------

Sephiroth stood there for a long drawn out moment, not moving or saying a word. He was at a loss for them. Zachary had this way of treating him almost human. It was eerie to him and to say the least awkward. He hated it and yet he didn't mind it at the same time. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Tseng was his friend, but never had Tseng done things to this caliber. Zachary had done his work for him, greeted him, went to find him when he didn't show up for work, and now he actually missed him. This boy was becoming harder to ignore every day. He would have to admit to himself that he made him feel human and wanted.

'I guess I have to call him a friend now...' His brows furrowed as he hated being confused about any subject. 'What does he have to gain from this?'

'_Maybe he doesn't have anything to gain,' a_ voice echoed throughout his head. '_But of course no one cares about you, right?'_

Sephiroth scuffed and started walking towards the parking lot. He really needed to get home before the voices in his head and Zachary started suffocating his thoughts. He sighed; then again, it was unnerving and relieving to know he had another friend, even if that friend annoyed the hell out of him at times.

-------------------------------------- 

Well, they are started to feel feelings for one another, but the love thing might happen a little later for I am someone who thinks love takes time to occur. Please forgive . I am one to believe that friendship occurs before love and Sephiroth does have a hard time trusting anyone. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. I blame Zack's angst on Evanescence as I was listening to them when I wrote this.


	7. Chapter 7: Reopened Scars and Demons

**Lights and Shadows**

**------------------------------------- **

**Disclaimer:** FFVII and all its characters belong to Square Enix Co. Ltd, not me. Wow, if you haven't gotten this by now, you're a sad, sad individual.

_Italics _- mental conversations

' ' - thoughts

" " - normal conversation

Author's Note: I am attempting as much within my power to follow the Before Crisis storyline as much as possible so if anyone know anything please send it to me. I will be greatly appreciative. Cloud appears in this chapter, but I am horrid at characterizing him so please forgive me.

----------------------------- 

**Chapter Seven: Reopened Scars and Demons**

Hojo paced around in the area of the lab in which he kept his specimens. The tanks and cages were mostly empty say for a few modified monsters. Most of his assistants stayed well away from the raging scientist. Ever since he came back from a conversation with Shinra, he had been irate.

Only one brave soul dared to enter the same room as the madman. She was an upcoming scientist who had helped in the investigation with the Ravens, AVALANCHE's main weapon against Shin-Ra. Her name was Rayleigh and she appeared as any other overworked scientist in the labs. She approached Hojo quietly with several folders pressed against her chest. When Hojo wasn't engaging in some genetic alteration or human experimentation he wasn't a pleasant person to approach.

Rayleigh cleared her throat to gain the attention of her fellow scientist and mentor. Hojo looked over in her direction for a brief moment. He stopped pacing and stood with a slightly slumped posture and his hands resting behind his back. "Professor Hojo, I hate to interrupt, but what is bothering you?"

Hojo adjusted his glasses. "Just that this company doesn't have any consideration for my science department's opinion anymore."

Rayleigh placed the folders on the desk closest to her and decided to inquire more. No one needed the head scientist letting his rage out on any unsuspecting assistant. "May I inquire as to what the President told you?"

"That babbling idiot is dispatching J-1 to Kalm or rather what remains of it. He gets a slight scare from Fuhito's sad excuse for SOLDIER imitations and decides that he needs to pull his thump card." Hojo seemed to be ranting at nothing in particular, but thinking aloud to himself. "The man just doesn't comprehend the delicate timing needed to get the full extent of J-1's powers. Sending such a valuable specimen on such a mission is asinine."

Rayleigh sighed. Hojo always felt very possessive of Specimen J-1, otherwise known to the public as Sephiroth. The specimen was Hojo's pet project that no one really knew the details of. She had only been told that he was a special project in division with the SOLDIER project. Hojo took special pride in Sephiroth and absolutely hated it when Heidegger or the President used him in a way that displeased him.

"Is there anything you wish me to do about it, Professor?" she asked.

"Yes, adjust my schedule to accommodate an appointment with the general as soon as he returns."

Rayleigh bowed slightly before exiting the room, leaving the folders discarded on the desk. When the door clicked shut, Hojo walked over to the folders. He picked them and flipped through the files he requested. One folder contained recent information regarding J-1 and the other contained data on the First Class SOLDIER Zachary Donovan. Hojo smirked with an unnatural glee in his eyes.

"We'll see who has the last act, Shinra, just you wait. Soon your little company will matter very little." Hojo stared down at the mug shot of Sephiroth and laughed.

------------

Sephiroth woke up slightly alarmed. He hadn't recalled falling asleep, but the constant motion of the military truck must have eased him into the realm of dreams. He allowed his eyes to roam around seeing that Zachary wasn't too far away and that two grunt troopers accompanied them. Zachary was engaged in a conversation with the one with chocobo colored hair. Sephiroth merely shook his head and crossed his arms. Masamune sat leaning against the wall beside himself.

It wasn't long after he attempted to gain a few hours rest that Shinra called him with new orders to be dispatched to Kalm. Not that he minded much, the missions were a lot more appreciated than the paperwork waiting back in his office. Peace times were what made many soldier restless, without the heat of battle they wasn't much one could do. With the rebel group becoming more active by the day, things were bound to get interesting.

Sephiroth's eyes shifted to the conversation Zachary was having with the grunt. The boy was barely a preteen and already in the military. He was hunched over and looked rather sickly at the moment. "What's wrong with him?"

Zachary turned and gave another one of his smile that he never seemed to be in short supply of. "He's suffering from motion sickness, though, he says he'll be okay when the truck stops moving."

Sephiroth nodded and went back to contemplating to himself. That didn't last long as Zachary entered his line of vision. The boy apparently grew restless when he sat still longer than five seconds at a time. Sephiroth swore the boy had some form of ADHD or other hyperactive disorder. Zachary took it upon himself to seat himself beside Sephiroth. The two troopers with them stared slightly as if to say: Zack's going to get his ass kicked because he sat beside the general. Zachary leaned over and looked up at his superior with a bemused look on his face which only meant one thing: that he had the urge to talk.

"So tell me how does it feel to know that you're going to be able to exert your skill and not sit in the office?" Zack inquired.

Sephiroth sighed. He had long since given up on the silent treatment with the raven haired man. He would admit to himself that talking with him was more pleasant than what he once thought. "It'll be nice for a change, but keep your focus on this mission."

"Of course, but it wouldn't kill you to try to over look that for once," Zack commented, interweaving his hands behind his head. "I mean at least we do get some exercise besides training."

Sephiroth nodded. "I don't foresee this being much of a problem, more of a set back." Zachary nodded solemnly as he probably hit a sore spot with the younger man. "What is it?"

"Nothing really. I just had to deal with a similar ordeal while you were in Wutai. Its nothing really it's just they have been using humans in experimentations."

Sephiroth scuffed. That only meant AVALANCHE was no different than Shin-Ra in some aspects. He wouldn't tell Zachary that, though. It was better if some things were left unsaid. "Yes, I've been briefed on the situation with Fuhito and his squad of Ravens."

Zachary gave a melancholy smile. There was something underlying that he wasn't telling him. Then, Sephiroth recalled a report he had received that two SOLDIERs assigned to Zachary were killed on a routine mission in the slums. Zachary looked to the floor. "So that is what they're called. I guess it fits seeing as they aren't human anymore."

The truck suddenly lurched as it came to a stop at the entrance of the remains of Kalm. Not to long ago it had been demolished when orders were construed. Now all that was left were a few buildings that the surviving inhabitants erected for shelter. The people gathered in the streets looked slightly rougher than the citizens who inhabited the slums of Midgar. All were covered in dirt and their clothing left much to be desired. They stared at them with a mixture of relief and pure hatred. They did blame Shin-Ra for the deaths of the innocent and the destruction of their village.

"Some welcome party," Zack commented, scratching behind his head. "So I guess we look for Tseng, he should know where we need to begin." Sephiroth already began to walk off in some direction. He really didn't want to squander what time they had here. Time was precious. "Hey wait up." Zack motioned the two MPs to follow him. He knew that Sephiroth would leave them behind if they lagged too much.

Sephiroth walked briskly to a destination his instincts pulled him towards. He didn't need to look, his senses told him Tseng's location and mood. Behind him he could hear the shuffle of boots as the others followed him. He wanted this over with as quickly as possible. He approached the Turk very silently. Tseng appeared deep in thought, but turned his attention to the newly arrived.

"Have there been any changes since the last report was sent in?" Sephiroth asked.

Tseng shook his head very slightly. "No, but we believe that they Ravens aren't too far into the plains, waiting to attack."

Zack sighed, finally catching up to Sephiroth. He tilted his head slightly and listened in on the conversation. He didn't want to be a hindrance by asking moronic questions later. Everything just seemed to be a mess since the Ravens entered the town, not that the town being destroyed hadn't been enough. They had relocated themselves into the forests hoping to strike again. Kalm was a vital point between the mountains and Midgar. Without even the scraps of what was left of it, Midgar could come into a crisis situation. It was a strategic military point for a barrier and a lookout point. If the Ravens were to capture it for the rebel group it could spell an all out revolution within the population and rioters would fill the city streets. Either way this mission was important and if they failed all of Midgar's innocents would have to pay the cost in more blood. Shinra had dispatched a small squad to fool the enemy into thinking that they weren't so worried about the matter.

'But even they know if Shinra sends the general out to personally take care of it... he must be worried.' Zack thought to himself. He looked over his shoulder seeing that Cloud seemed to be feeling better after letting himself relieve his stomach behind a bush. 'I feel sorry for the guy, but that has to be an interesting sight for these villagers to see.' He snickered lightly despite himself.

-----

Zack was covered in layers of caked mud and bloodstains. He was crawling against the very shaky walls of the building. Inside the children and remaining villagers screamed and cried in bouts of sheer terror. The streets were damp from the storm currently brewing in the skies. Everything was dark but for the few patches of light that decorated the mud and bodies. During the middle of the night the Ravens and a few of AVALANCHE's own men surfaced and launched a surprise attack on the village.

Zack had been roused from his pleasant dreaming to the sounds of dying cries and gunshots firing. Already many of his men littered the ground. Nameless faces that he would soon have to file KIA forms for. He held the Buster Sword wearily in his hand. Time had crept by and he had no idea how long he had been fighting soaked and weary from lack of sleep. Though he carried no major injuries, the constant fighting was slowly taking its toll. He could only hope his other men were fairing better than he. He had long since lost track of the others and at the moment everything silenced to a dull roar.

He leaned against the wall. He didn't want to fight anymore he was so tired and the aching from his muscles' protests at his movement didn't help either. This silence wouldn't last much longer he could hear them growling in the distance awaiting another attack. He felt like the participant in a horror film he would watch with Aerith, but there was no stop button or reset action. He let out a large intake of breath before standing up and raising his sword in his weary hands. He was Zack and he could pull this off. The people of Kalm depended upon this victory, and he couldn't let Sephiroth down.

Why the last part was a concern on his mind at a time like this was beyond him at the moment. He half smiled to himself. He did rely on others to draw his strength and will from knowing he had to protect them and save them a trouble he could have accomplished on his own. But he had to reel his mind back into reality as the rustling of bushes signified the next wave of Ravens into the town.

Whoever said they weren't human was very accurate in their assumption. These once human being growled and snarled with bestial intents. Their sole purpose was engraved into their being, which was to kill. The Ravens sought out their intended target with deadly accuracy and hunted them down until the target or Raven was rendered lifeless. They weren't human, they were killing engrossed monsters.

Zack felt his blade slice through another one of the creatures as the onslaught continued on. Blood decorated his body in a gory victor's trophy. His blade marked with rivets of their warm blood as the rain washed it to intermix with the mud and gunpowder. These men once had a family just as Zack had, but he was doing them a service in his mind. No one should have been allowed to live in such a state so all the bloodshed he dealt out was for mercy killing in his mind.

He wasn't left much time to think further on the subject as another Raven rushed towards the house of the villagers. He ran after it on impulse, he wasn't going to let another innocent victim be claimed by these monsters. When he caught he saw that the creature's intended target was different than he once thought. It was heading straight for Sephiroth, who looked as if were obliviously to the Raven heading towards him.

Something inside of Zack snapped and he dashed faster than anyone thought possible to wrestle the Raven to the ground before it could lay a blow on Sephiroth. He hit the mud hard on his way down and it splashed all over his form. The creature snarled and snorted his warm breath into the cold air creating a light mist. He could smell its breath, but he tousled with it trying to gain the upper hand and heave the thing off of him. In a spurt of energy the creature was tossed to the side and he brandished his sword once to cleave the beast in two as it leapt forward once more. Blood gushed from it as the sounds of its death trolls entered the air.

Zack barely found himself winded as he looked up. He couldn't remember ever getting into frenzy such as that before. Never before had he killed some so strong so quickly. He caught the glimpse of his general and instantly knew why he could find such strength in himself. He had the urge to protect the man before him. But why so urgent? Sephiroth could easily have defended himself.

'It was as if I felt feelings towards him….. no, he is just a friend, that is all,' Zack found the courage in himself to glance upwards to see the man in question fend off another Raven. The way Sephiroth moved in battle was that of a posed actor executing an eloquent dance of death. The way he moved memorized Zack, and he found himself staring. 'How can he possibly remain that beautiful even covered in so much mud and blood…' Zack's eyes widened at his thoughts and gasped slightly. He closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't be true. It was beyond his rational reasoning for a human being. Besides he didn't like men like that…

His ears picked up the sound of a growl. He turned his head realizing too late that one of the last of the Ravens had lounged straight at him. He wouldn't have time to defend himself; there was no avoiding the attack coming towards him. He readied himself for pain that never came. He was only aware of the dying screams of some beast. Cautiously, he cracked open a single eye to stare into the depths of two glowing green cat pupils. He couldn't help but to feel relief, but he also found himself admiring the man before him, though not as a swordsman.

"Are you all right, Zachary…?" the question sounded nonchalant, but Zack could sense the underlying care behind it.

Zack nodded almost dumbfounded, and swallowed the lump that had accumulated inside his throat. "I'm fine, but excuse my language; you look like shit, Seph."

Sephiroth smirked in response, knowing that Zack was all right if he could still joke around.

Zack sighed and looked off to the side. The battle was over by the sounds of it. 'But why did I just lie to him….? He looks beautiful… Oh listen to yourself, Zachary… you act as if you ….' Then the realization dawned on him. All this time he had befriended, all the time he spent around the man. He attempted so badly to be his friend and close companion, but in the process Zack found himself falling in love with deadly beauty in front of himself.


End file.
